Three travellers, Men of Willowdale...

On Thursday, my favourite band was inducted into the American "Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame" - which is basically an old pals club for artists that are approved by the too cool for school hipsterati that run "Rolling Stone" magazine.  I, for one, have never found myself feeling that Rush needed that sort of approval - surely coming third behind The Beatles and the Stones for number of Gold and Platinum records tells you all that you need to know...

I have never really rated the opinion of music critics - they largely seem to be bitter wannabe musicians with an axe to grind and a desire to like the "right" bands and to brainwash the gullible would be hipsters into toeing the party line.  The NME is a classic case in point - pretty much the British equivalent of the "Rolling Stone", and a prime exponent of the vile "build 'em up yo knock 'em down" culture prevalent in so much of British journalism.  They infamously described Rush as "Nazi Fascists" - which is surely particularly hurtful given that Geddy Lee's parents survived the Nazi Death Camps in WWII.  Think of that and listen to "Red Sector A" again...

I don't care if people like Rush or not.  Equally, I don't mind if other people do like them - I am not (or at least try not to be) an elitist.  I would rather like it if people gave them a chance and due credit for being a talented, innovative, hard-working and influential band.  Their music has spoken to me and many others) more than anyone else's, often describing the "view from the suburbs" - a middle class geek's view of the world.  "Subdivisions" and indeed many of the songs from the album "Signals" deals with this sort of theme.  

They are also an excellent live band who are never anything other than well-rehearsed and respectful of their audience - something that certain other Canadian artists could do well to learn.  They are now members of a club that they never really cared for, but they recognised that many of their fans cared and when inducted had the decency to turn up and thank the people whose opinions do matter to them.  Now it's back to the real business for them - see you in Glasgow on May 30th, guys!

A Hielan' Laddie...

This Friday just past, Christopher and I wore kilts of Black Watch tartan to our friends' wedding.  C looked very smart indeed.  I wore it by choice, and am proud to have done so.  

My Uncle Iain also wore it by choice, though in circumstances as far removed from a wedding as you can get.  He wore it as a member of the Black Watch, having (if I recall the family stories correctly) lied about his age to join up.  He then volunteered to join the Parachute Regiment, which was then in its infancy.  Just over 70 years ago (28th March, 1943), he was killed in action in Tunisia.  

I am glad that I have never had to join the Forces - with absolutely no disrespect to those who have - I really do not think that I am made of the right stuff for it, for a start.  I am not a brave man. Then again, I have read many stories of ordinary people who did extraordinary things in extraordinary times - perhaps I could have measured up.  I doubt it, but perhaps.  I am glad that my Uncle, and many thousands of others did, but deeply saddened that they had to.  And, because they did, I am free to choose to not join up, free to choose to wear the Black Watch tartan, and free to hope that my son will know a better world than even I have...

http://twgpp.org/information.php?id=2634521

Creepshow...

I am, in general quite lucky.  

Although my life has its challenges (whose doesn't) and the old "black dog" keeps nipping at my heels (and indeed sometimes seems to sneak in and pinch my lunch), I am fortunate to have a wonderful wife, a stunning son, a supportive and fabulous (blood, step, in-law and extended) family and some of the finest friends a man could hope for.

The snag is that I have an arch enemy - The Master to my Doctor (Mad Tom stylee, of course) if you like.  He knows and exploits my weaknesses, preying ruthlessly on every foible and failing, never failing to put the boot in when I am down...  There is no remorse, because he believes implacably that I am deserving of his venom.  And of course, as you will have already guessed he gets his digs in before anyone else because he is the hairy shambling mess that stares at me from the mirror each morning.  Perhaps being the Edward Hyde to my Henry Jekyll is the more appropriate comparison.

My mind can run off at the most unlikely tangents from seemingly innocuous starting points - imagining how people have taken something I have said differently to how I had intended and set off some sort of chain reaction with terrible consequences.  Part of me knows that I am being ridiculous, and this almost makes it worse - like being powerless in the passenger seat of a vehicle being driven by a maniac.  

But then perhaps driven is a good word to use, because I am, in some ways, much more driven than my usually relaxed exterior might suggest.  I want to do everything the best that I can - and I want to do it better the next time.  Unfortunately my expectations are all too often (perhaps) somewhat unrealistic - my reach exceeds my grasp, but I cannot cut myself any slack to accept this failure.  I do expect too much of myself, but I also can't bring myself to live any other way.  

This drive is also one of the things (as well as a fine support network and Mirtazapine) that allows me to function in any way normally - get out of bed, be a husband, parent, employee etc. A lot of the time I can reach a grudging understanding with the mirror me - perhaps this is the best that I can hope for.  The title, by the way, refers to a Twelfth Night song - which seemed appropriate to these thoughts.  

I would like to finish with a reference to another song - "Between Today and Yesterday" by Amplfier.  They just put the lyrics up on their site, and reading them reinforced why this is another song that has made a particularly strong connection to my maverick brain, like the ones that I referred to in a previous ramble.

http://www.amplifierband.com/lyrics_betweentodayandyesterday.html

Enjoy!